Bart also said he didn't accept the "stepping-stone" argument. Again IMHO, there is very little worth to ANY single-winner method, unless it is part of a larger agenda for proportional representation. In abstract models you can argue that the legislature will choose the same proposals under single-seat districts as it would under PR, if the single-seat districts choose their reps by some good single-winner method. IMHO this is losing sight of the differences between abstract models and reality. Theorists and professional academics sometimes do this, it is a failing to guard against. Reality is discontinuous, nonlinear, multidimensional, and "messy" in many ways; having mathematical assurances of equilibrium tendencies of abstract systems is no substitute for having a real human being in the legislature whom you voted FOR as articulating your own views and priorities. To seriously reform the current system, we need to move to a multiparty system; to allow a larger fraction of the population to see someone in the legislature who they voted FOR, who represents their views, there is no alternative (AFAIK) to proportional representation in multi-seat districts. Single-winner methods are sometimes unavoidable; for executive seats, we might as well use the best method we know of. There is no good in using single-seat methods when they are not necessary.
What, useful, did this long paragraph contribute?
Topic of the thread is a couple varieties of single-winner methods.
Then, trying to decipher what you said, there is VERY LITTLE:
You do not like single-winner - your privilege but, evenso, this is off topic for this thread.
You, RELUCTANTLY, concede that single-winner is appropriate for executive seats.
Since that is NOT all it is good for in the US, you demonstrate, at a minimum, not understanding how this country is put together.
Since you dislike single-winner, why do you not:
Leave it to those of us who see the need and are working at it?
Work at PR - toward the better possible methods and the advantages of each? When I could make districts of 5 or 25 seats, what are the advantages of leaning toward few or many?
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Dave Ketchum 108 Halstead Ave, Owego, NY 13827-1708 607-687-5026
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